La vie Parisien

Sunday 16/08/09
(My Mum’s Birthday)

Breakfast is pain au choc et croissaints again. Sweet.
Lots of walking is to ensue – down canal st martin – peaceful, although inhabited by annoying drunks. to republique, thru oberkampf where we stop for lunch of confit de canard avec miel epice, with more leffe and some terribl coffee.
Then on to bastille, then up to hotel de ville and onto ile de la cite. We stop for ice cream at Bertillon. Tube to musee de rodin and meet Camille, leas friend.
From here we walk thru les jardins de Luxembourg – amazingly beautiful, pristine, layed out with stunning simplicity, acres of space kept in immaculate condition, flanked by the huge senate building, and all for people to lounge and enjoy the sun.

Dinner is to be at Café de Commerce, in the sth west. A typical French brasserie, but on a big scale – 3 floors. Quite nicely presented, semi formal. We eat LOTS. 3 entrees each – for me, foie gras du canard with a sugary apple compote, 6 burgundian snails with a basil parsley and garlic butter sauce (served with a divine looking torture implement, purely for the sake of removing them from the shell.) To finish, a thick and overly salted soup a l’oignon, topped with a thick coating of gruyere.

We drink Cassis de Commerce – a kir royale made with cassis, lychee, violet and peach. Amazing. Going on the list at Quay. I also try a drink called Suze - bitter, but only just, with an aroma of sweet red fruits and gentle spice. It is served up in a tall shot glass. I have a glass of Graves Moelleux (producer unknown) with my foie – excellent. We also have a bottle of J.L Colombo Syrah de Violettes from pays d’Oc….slightly confected (a trace of maceration carbonique??) it is soft and easy, lacking somewhat in depth.

Dessert is Poire Belle Helene et framboise vacherin with Groult Calvados Pays d’Auge 8 yo

An excellent day in all...